End Of An Era
by Ansela
Summary: A rainy night, a lifechanging decision. Too short for a proper summary really.


Okay, I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote this. All I know is that I've probably had about far too much cold and flu medicine and too many Strepsils. Can you overdose on brand name cold and flu medication and Strepsils? I hope not…

This is my first attempt at a Bleach fic and probably a one-shot.

Inner Ansela: GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!

Oh well, here it is.

--

A lone teen stood quietly in the deserted park, eyes closed as he listened for a single sound in the approaching darkness. Anyone with even the slightest amount of skill could have seen the blue aura covering his body, but at that moment he didn't care. The rain that had been falling all day soaked him to the bone, plastering his spiky orange hair to his head as he continued to stand there, oblivious to the world around him.

A talisman on his belt glowed and wailed and his eyes snapped open. Grabbing the talisman he pressed it to his chest, his body dropping to the floor as he did so. With a nod to the dark girl sitting in the shelter of a jungle gym he ran in the direction that the wooden skull talisman indicated, leaping inhuman distances in his haste.

--

A redhead crouched on the roof of a grimy looking shop, eyes surveying the rain-soaked streets that were so empty of life. In this weather few people came to the shop, meaning that he could do his real job without feeling guilty about abandoning the two children to run the shop alone. He ignored the rain, not caring whether he was wet or dry, and watched the few cars that passed in the streets below.

A persistent beep drew his attention and he pulled a cellphone from inside his black yukata. He snapped it shut after reading the information and jumped from the building, landing on the next roof along with easy grace. Within a few seconds he was out of sight, lost in the darkness and the rain.

--

The two men met as they ran and unconsciously matched their pace to the other. No words passed between the two, no words were needed. There was a job to do and they would do it. The younger of the two grew more anxious as the seconds passed, recognising the route they were taking even if he didn't normally travel this way, and he upped his pace. His aura began to manifest again, lighting up the sky as he ran effortlessly along the telephone wires that lined the streets.

The older quickly regained his position at the youth's side, his dark eyes searching for a reason in the younger male. He found only worry and fear, emotions that he hadn't seen in his carrot haired friend for some time. For that reason he didn't complain about his worry and instead pushed him to go even faster, following the talisman fastened onto the younger man's obi.

They drew their zanpakuto as their target became visible, a dark shape that towered above the surrounding buildings and sucked all light into its vaguely humanoid body. The glowing sign on the smashed house beneath it became clear, flickering obscenely in the ruins that used to be a family home, and the older man suddenly understood his friend's worry.

"BASTARD!" The older redhead crouched again, allowing his comrade to get the revenge he deserved. The Hollow smirked as it turned, dropping the broken form of a young girl as it did so, eyes glowing behind its bone mask.

"Bring it on Shinigami. I was just thinking that these souls weren't enough to sustain me this night."

--

The Gates of Hell closed with a bone-shattering thud as the evil soul vanished, pulled down into the fires by skeletal arms. The two redheads were left alone in the darkness and rain, standing amid the rubble that had once been a home. The sign was no longer flickering, having been destroyed in the battle, but the scene was no less grim. Silently they turned to the three bodies lying just outside of the house, where they had been dumped by their murderer after he'd finished devouring their souls. The younger Shinigami dropped to his knees, unable to stand as he fully realised the night's events.

"I failed them. I should have protected them." The young warrior whispered into the night, ignoring the growing crowd of people oblivious to his presence. A strong hand gripped his shoulder and he smiled sadly at his companion. "I can't do this anymore. I can't live a double life."

"Then return to being human." The younger one shook his head. "No, I suppose you can't. Return with me then, start a new life." Black eyes met brown and an eternity seemed to pass until the younger one nodded.

"Take me with you."

--

Good? Bad? Should have never seen the light of day? Want more? Please tell me? The little purple button calls for you to click it.


End file.
